Rita Simons, a well-known soap opera actress, has taken on a different kind of role in a new reality show.
After playing various characters and earning a party girl reputation in her youth, Rita, also known as Roxy Mitchell, wants to reveal her real self in the new reality show Drama Queens.
Rita has joined other soap stars like Lucy Fallon and Brooke Vincent in the upcoming show, which follows the lives of actresses in continuing drama series. She sat down with Metro.co.uk to talk about the new project and how her life has changed significantly over the years. The upcoming show captures the daily lives of actresses in continuing drama, including soap stars from Coronation Street and Hollyoaks.
During an interview with Metro.co.uk, Rita discussed the changes in her life over the years. Rita shared how her life has drastically changed since starting in EastEnders 18 years ago.
'I began EastEnders 18 years ago, I was young, a completely different person, I had two young kids. I was a young, busy mum of tiny twins. Life was very different,' she reflected.
Now, everything in life has changed, and Rita wants to show that she is not the same as her character Roxy. She is now a middle-aged woman going through menopause.
She loves her quiet life now and enjoys activities like going to the beach and walking the dog, which is a contrast to her previous partying image.
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Rita loves her current quiet life and job, and enjoys simple activities like sitting on her sofa and going to the beach.
In the past, she was often seen in paparazzi shots drunk outside a club, but now she wants to show that she has matured with age and is no longer like her young character, Roxy.
Rita explained that Drama Queens features nine soap actresses from the north, focusing on their experiences as mothers and navigating the challenges of their unconventional jobs.
The show delves into the lives of eight soap actresses, including their roles as mothers and how they manage their unconventional jobs.
The show explores their lives as mothers and how they handle the atypical nature of their jobs.
The show promises to be insightful for both viewers and Rita, as she looks forward to learning more about her fellow stars on the journey.
'I’ll probably find out a lot of them are living the life I was living when I was at EastEnders because they’re younger!' she smiled.
In addition to her role in Drama Queens, Rita has recently debuted as the chaotic newcomer Marie in Hollyoaks. Rita recently made her debut as the troubled yet fiercely matriarchal character Marie in Hollyoaks.
As a veteran of soap operas, she is excited to take on her new character in Hollyoaks.
Rita believes that the future of soap operas is not as grim as some fear, despite recent changes in the genre.
‘The fact is, TV in general is rapidly evolving,’ she thought. ‘I believe what Hollyoaks have done with their strategy is really clever and I don’t think they’ll be the last soap to do that because ultimately people don’t sit down any more like they used to and watch television at a specific time every night.
‘They want to choose when to watch it and what is so clever about Hollyoaks and the way they’ve done it is [moving to an online digital led model] you can now do that but it’s still on television if you want that option.’
She added: ‘Soaps in general, I think they’ll be OK because they’re sort of a staple, aren’t they, of British culture. I’ve got friends who produce television in other areas, documentaries and stuff.
‘It’s really chaotic out there and everyone’s having to pivot into new directions and try to become more digital, because if they don’t everyone’s in fear of being a dinosaur in the industry the way viewing habits are going.
‘I think soaps might be safe because they’re such an institution for this country. It just might be that they need to pivot as well and move to a more digital platform in the future.’
Drama Queens debuts Wednesday April 10 at 9pm on ITVBe and ITVX and will run for eight episodes.
